Wellness & Vaccinations

Basic Veterinary Care at Your Doorstep

Annual wellness visits and vaccination appointments are the bread and butter of veterinary appointments and keeping up with your pet’s healthcare. But did you know that you don’t actually have to go to a vet clinic to receive these services? DeKalb, IL area mobile vet has you covered.

The Importance of Regular Wellness Exams

Regular pet wellness exams are of utmost importance for a number of reasons:

Early Detection of Health Issues 

Regular wellness exams allow DeKalb, IL area mobile vet, Dr. Lauri, to detect any potential health problems in your pet at an early stage. Many diseases and conditions, such as dental issues, heart disease, cancer, and kidney disease, may not show obvious symptoms in the early stages. Through regular check-ups and laboratory testing, such as OncoK9®, these problems can be identified before they worsen, improving the chances of successful treatment.

Prevention and Vaccinations

Wellness exams provide an opportunity for Dr. Lauri, mobile veterinarian of DeKalb, IL, to ensure your pet is up to date on vaccinations, parasite prevention, and other preventive care measures. Vaccinations protect your pet from contagious and potentially life-threatening diseases, while parasite prevention helps safeguard them against fleas, ticks, heartworms, and other parasites. These preventive measures are crucial for your pet’s overall health and longevity while reducing the spread of disease to others in the DeKalb, IL area.

Nutrition and Weight Management

At each wellness exam, Dr. Lauri can assess your pet’s nutrition and weight. Proper nutrition plays a vital role in your pet’s well-being, and maintaining a healthy weight is essential to prevent obesity-related health issues. Mobile veterinarian, Dr. Lauri, can provide guidance on appropriate diet choices, feeding schedules, and portion control tailored to your pet’s specific needs if you are in the DeKalb, IL area.

Dental Health

Dental disease is a common yet often overlooked issue in pets. During your mobile vet clinic appointment in the DeKalb, IL area, the annual wellness exams often include dental evaluations. This allows Dr. Lauri to examine your pet’s teeth and gums to identify any dental abnormalities such as plaque, tartar, gingivitis, or periodontal disease. Early detection and treatment can ultimately prevent pain, tooth loss, bone loss, and other potential complications.

Senior Pet Care

As pets age, their health needs change. Regular wellness exams in the DeKalb, IL area become even more critical for senior pets. These mobile vet clinic appointments help monitor age-related conditions such as arthritis, cognitive decline, organ function, and overall vitality. Early detection and appropriate management of these conditions can significantly improve your senior pet’s quality of life.

Behavior and Mental Health

Wellness exams for the DeKalb, IL area, and any area in general, provide an opportunity to discuss any behavioral concerns or changes in your pet’s behavior. Veterinarians can address anxiety, aggression, or other behavioral issues and provide guidance or refer you to a veterinary behaviorist near DeKalb, IL if it is deemed necessary. 

Regular pet wellness exams not only help maintain your pet’s health but also foster a strong veterinarian-client-patient relationship. By working closely with DeKalb, IL area mobile vet, Dr. Lauri Safford, you can ensure the best possible care for your furry companion throughout their life.

From time to time, we may also recommend certain health screenings. These routine tests enable us to identify and address potential health problems early, before they have a chance to develop and worsen.

Importance of Vaccinations

Vaccines, as you already know, are imperative to the health and welfare of your pet, other pets, and all humans. Vaccines are a safeguard against the spread of brutal diseases that cause immense pain, suffering, and potential fatality. 

In general, core vaccinations absolutely necessary for dogs are Rabies, Distemper, and Parvo, For cats, core vaccinations include Rabies, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia (otherwise known as FVRCP). 

Core vaccines are entirely necessary to prevent contraction and to prevent the spread of disease to other animals or people. Rabies, if contracted in animals, is 100% fatal. If the animal happens to spread rabies to a human, the person must immediately receive the rabies vaccination series from any DeKalb, IL local emergency room and be monitored closely up to months after the incident. If the bite was immediately addressed, the person in question should survive.

In the cases of all other viral diseases combated by core vaccines, the outlook is similarly bleak. If the disease is contracted, even if the pet receives plenty of the necessary supportive care, there is no treatment and the disease may prove fatal to the dog or cat.

These viral diseases, despite vaccinations, still run rampant across the country and the DeKalb, IL area is no exception.

The DeKalb, IL area Mobile Vet Clinic that Comes to You

Mobile veterinary care for basic services offers several benefits for both pet owners and their furry companions. 

Convenience

Mobile vet care in the DeKalb, IL area brings the whole clinic straight to your front porch. No more do you need to worry about the stress of transportation on your pets or rearranging your whole schedule to make it to the local DeKalb, IL area vet. Safford Veterinary Services comes to you!

Reduced Anxiety

Pets that are examined in their own home by DeKalb, IL area mobile vet, Dr. Lauri, often give better insights into their condition as they are much more relaxed and comfortable within their own environment. This can lead to an easier diagnosis and a faster treatment plan. 

Personalized Attention

Mobile vets like Dr. Lauri, who services the DeKalb, IL area, typically provides one-on-one attention to pets during their appointments. They have the flexibility to allocate sufficient time to address all concerns, answer questions, and thoroughly examine the animal. This personalized attention can result in a more comprehensive assessment of the pet’s overall health.

Minimized Exposure to Illness

If your pet is only receiving a wellness exam or vaccinations, there is no reason to take your pet to a veterinary clinic where other sick animals are being treated. This can lead to unnecessary accidental exposure to illness. By opting for mobile veterinary care in the DeKalb, IL area, pet owners can drastically reduce exposing their pets to the common diseases seen in veterinary clinics.

Comfort for Aging or Disabled Pets

Mobile veterinary care in the DeKalb, IL area allows older pets and pets with prior injuries or mobility issues to receive necessary medical attention without the stress or discomfort of leaving their familiar surroundings.

A New Naperville Pet Is a Great Reason for a Checkup!

Welcoming a new pet into your family is an exciting and joyful experience. Whether you’ve adopted a playful puppy or a cuddly kitten, it’s important to prioritize their health and well-being from the very beginning. One essential step in ensuring their long-term health is scheduling a veterinary wellness exam. In Naperville, IL, mobile veterinarian, Dr. Lauri, offers convenient and comprehensive mobile veterinary services that cater to the needs of your furry friends in the comfort of your own home.

During a wellness exam, Naperville, IL mobile veterinarian, Dr. Lauri, will assess your dog or cat’s overall health, including checking for any underlying medical conditions or potential risks. They will also discuss critical preventive measures such as vaccines to protect against common diseases. This proactive approach can help identify health concerns early on and provide appropriate care to keep your new pet happy and healthy. By scheduling a mobile veterinary wellness exam with a trusted mobile veterinarian in Naperville, IL, you can ensure that your furry friend receives the best possible care right from the start.

Vaccines and Preventative Care for the Naperville, IL Area

Ensuring the health and well-being of our beloved Naperville, IL pets is a responsibility that every pet owner takes seriously. In order to keep our furry friends happy and thriving, it is crucial to prioritize preventative care, including vaccinations.  Mobile veterinarian, Dr. Lauri, near Naperville, IL offers an easy solution for pet owners by providing essential services at their doorstep.

Vaccines play a vital role in protecting our Naperville pets from various diseases such as Distemper, Parvo, Panleukopenia, and Calicivirus. These diseases can be highly contagious and pose serious threats to our dogs and cats. If you adopted your pet from the local Naperville, IL shelter, they likely have received the age-appropriate vaccinations listed below. However, if your new Naperville, IL area pet came from anywhere else, these vaccinations are imperative to maintain your pet’s health and welfare.

Distemper

Distemper is spread through contact with respiratory secretions or bodily fluids from infected animals. It can be transmitted through direct contact or through airborne droplets. 

Distemper affects multiple organs and can lead to a range of symptoms, including fever, coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and neurological signs like seizures, twitching, and muscle weakness. The severity of symptoms can vary depending on the infected animal’s age, overall health, and immune status.

Distemper is a serious disease and can be fatal, especially in young puppies and dogs with weakened immune systems. There is no specific treatment for distemper, and supportive care is often provided to manage the symptoms and help the animal recover.

Parvo

Canine parvovirus is transmitted through direct contact with infected feces or contaminated environments. The virus is extremely resilient and can survive in the environment for months to years, making it highly contagious and easily spread. 

The virus causes severe damage to the intestinal lining, leading to symptoms such as severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea, nausea, lethargy, and dehydration.

Prompt veterinary care is crucial, as affected dogs often require intensive treatment, including fluid therapy to combat dehydration, medications to control vomiting and diarrhea, antibiotics to prevent secondary infections, and supportive care to help the dog recover. However, oftentimes this disease proves fatal, especially in puppies given their weakened immune system.

Panleukopenia

Feline panleukopenia is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids and contaminated objects or environments. The virus, similar in many aspects to parvo in dogs, is highly resistant and can survive for years in an environment.

It causes a significant decrease in white blood cells, leading to a weakened immune system. This can result in a range of symptoms, including fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and dehydration. 

Panleukopenia is a serious disease, especially in young kittens with undeveloped immune systems. Prompt veterinary care is essential, as affected cats often require intensive treatment, such as fluid therapy, anti-vomiting and anti-diarrhea medications, and generalized supportive care in order to recover. This disease, especially in kittens, is often fatal.

Calicivirus

Feline calicivirus is a highly contagious viral infection that affects cats. It is one of the most common causes of respiratory disease in cats, particularly in multi-cat environments such as shelters or catteries. Calici is transmitted through direct contact with infected cats, aerosolized respiratory secretions, or contaminated objects.

Calici can cause a range of symptoms, varying in severity depending on the strain of the virus and the individual cat’s immune response. Common signs include sneezing, nasal discharge, eye discharge, oral ulcers, decreased appetite, and fever. Several strains can also cause lameness and joint inflammation. Calici can lead to a secondary infection, such as pneumonia, especially in young kittens or cats with weakened immune systems. 

As there is no antiviral treatment, supportive care is provided to manage the symptoms and help the cat recover. This can include administering fluids to prevent dehydration, providing nutritional support, and addressing any secondary bacterial infections with appropriate antibiotics.

These diseases are common throughout the United States and the Naperville, IL area is no exception. All of these viruses can be prevented with the use of regular core vaccinations. By prioritizing vaccines and preventative care through the assistance of the Naperville, IL mobile veterinarian, we can provide our furry companions with the best possible protection against diseases. Let’s take proactive steps toward ensuring the long-term health and happiness of our beloved Naperville pets.

Would You Like a Microchip with That?

Safford Veterinary Services has already come to your Naperville, IL home for your pet’s wellness exam and vaccinations. Why not add a microchip to the list? 

In today’s world, ensuring the safety and well-being of our beloved pets has become increasingly important. One crucial aspect of pet care that cannot be overlooked is microchipping. This simple yet effective procedure offers a multitude of benefits for both dogs and cats, providing peace of mind for pet owners in Naperville, IL, and beyond. If you recently adopted your pet from a local Naperville, IL rescue or shelter, they should have microchipped your pet. If you aren’t sure, ask us to do a quick scan. 

This simple, one-time procedure offered to Naperville, IL, and surrounding areas, by Safford Veterinary Services, allows pet owners to take a proactive step in protecting their furry companions. Microchips serve as a permanent form of legal identification, allowing lost or stolen pets to be easily identified and reunited with their families.

Many municipalities, similar to that of the Naperville area, also require pets to be rabies vaccinated and microchipped as part of their licensing requirements. By staying up-to-date with these regulations, pet owners can avoid any potential fines or penalties.

The Benefits Drastically Outweigh the Costs

When she started her journey back in 2005 as a Certified Veterinary Technician, Dr. Lauri knew it was just a stepping stone. With only two years under her belt, she was determined to pursue her dream of helping animals and graduate from veterinary school. The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine sent Dr. Lauri into the world as a new Veterinarian in 2013 and she soon opened the mobile vet clinic of her dreams near DeKalb, IL.

Your pet’s health and welfare are a top priority for the staff in the DeKalb, IL area and so much pride in being their advocate. Affordable veterinary health and client convenience was the goal in mind for the area of DeKalb, IL when Safford Veterinary Services opened and it has remained so. Dr. Lauri, alongside her team of incredibly compassionate veterinary professionals, now serves many areas near DeKalb, IL for all of the resident’s mobile veterinary needs!

Wellness exams and vaccinations are incredibly important in identifying and preventing diseases before they begin to exhibit symptoms. With the convenience of a front-porch mobile vet clinic near DeKalb, IL, why wait? Safford Veterinary Services in the DeKalb, IL area is here for whatever you need! Call now at 331-212-0836 or visit the website to schedule your pet’s necessary annual wellness exam and vaccinations.